


That's What Family's For

by ReidFan



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-07
Updated: 2016-09-23
Packaged: 2018-08-13 12:20:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7976632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReidFan/pseuds/ReidFan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Story # 6 in my Spencer and Melissa series.</p><p>A deranged unsub is kidnapping and killing pregnant women in the DC area. When his next victim is too close to home, The BAU team is called in and someone has to sit out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

That’s What Family’s For

CM Reid/OC (MelissaMartinReid)

#6 in the Spencer and Melissa series

K+

 

 

Anna carefully placed the grocery bag containing eggs and bread on the front passenger seat then shut the door and walked around to the back of the family’s Ford Escape where her mother was busy loading the other groceries into the open rear hatch.

 

“Sure appreciate the pregnant mother parking spot,” Melissa muttered aloud as she hefted another bag into the car. She’d managed to get the best parking spot in the lot, right across from the grocery store’s front door. Sighing, she told Anna,

 

“I’m almost done, Honey. Why don’t you show me what a big girl you are now, and get into your booster seat?”

 

Anna complied, eager to show Melissa how responsible she could be. As she climbed into her seat, a dark blue SUV pulled in behind their Escape. Momentarily distracted as she fumbled with the booster seat’s belt, Anna didn’t see the SUV driver get out of the vehicle and approach Melissa from behind, but she did hear her mother’s interrupted question.

 

  “What the hell? Why is this—oh!” 

 

Melissa was struck on the head and Anna, hearing her mother’s sudden outcry of pain, turned in her seat and saw Melissa being dumped into the backseat of the SUV.

 

“Mommy!” she screamed as the SUV’s door slammed shut. Briefly paralysed by fear, she struggled with undoing the booster seat belt then scrambled out of the car screaming, “Mommy, Mommy!!” as the SUV drove off.

 

Anna stood frozen at the back of the Escape and stared as the SUV carrying her mother sped off out of the parking lot and onto the roadway. This gave way to anguish and confusion and finally anger and she ran into the grocery store, back to the same cashier who just moments ago had rung through their order.

 

“My mommy!” Anna cried as she caught the cashier’s attention.

 

“Anna! Dear, what’s wrong?” She excused herself from her customer, but both she and the female shopper knelt down to Anna’s level. The customer searched through her purse for tissues; the cashier hugged Anna and asked her again,

 

“Sweetie, just breathe, okay? What happened? Where’s your momma?”

 

Anna pointed out to the parking lot and the female shopper asked, “Is she hurt, dear?”

 

Between gulps of air while trying to stop crying, Anna managed to tell them, “Somebody hit Mommy and took her!”

 

The cashier called an alert code on her store phone and immediately half a dozen staff members converged at her till. The store manager led a pair of employees out to the parking lot as he called police on his cell phone. The Loss Prevention Security Officer spoke briefly with Kathleen-the cashier who had called the alert. She was busy comforting Anna as best she could while she told the LP officer,

 

“Her mother’s name is Melissa. Don’t know the last name but she comes in with Anna here,” she paused to stroke Anna’s hair, “Every week to do their grocery shopping. And Ryan? Melissa is pregnant, I think she’s about six months along.”

 

“What’s your last name, Sweetheart?” Ryan asked Anna. She looked at him warily, not willing to trust this man she didn’t know. Her tears flowed again and she buried her face in Kathleen’s uniformed chest.

 

“It’s okay, Anna. Ryan just wants to help find your momma.”

 

Ryan held up a note he’d hastily scribbled and Kathleen read from it.

 

“Does your Momma drive a red car, Anna?”

 

Anna nodded through her tears, furrowed her brow as she remembered, “Mommy called it a Scape.”

 

Ryan nodded, whispering “Red Escape.” 

 

Kathleen hugged Anna again. “Your momma’s name, honey? Melissa?”

 

Anna nodded, “Melissa Martin Reid.”

 

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The team members were all sitting around the bullpen, clustered by Spencer Reid who was showing off another round of photos of his new wife and stepdaughter. David Rossi and Tara Lewis were both sharing the embarrassing videos they’d taken at the reveal party a few weeks earlier. 

 

“Again?” Reid complained good-naturedly. “You’re never gonna let me live that down, are you?”

 

“It gets worse, Kid. Garcia is making a Power Point presentation,” Rossi informed him.

 

“Don’t worry, Morgan is the one wearing baby food in the photos. You’re just wearing That Hat,” Lewis teased.

 

Reid laughed as Garcia interrupted them, beckoning them to the round table room.

 

As they took their seats, she clicked on the smart-board and two images appeared. Hotchner entered the room, a file in one hand and his cell phone to his ear.

 

“Okay, thanks,” he said as he shut off and pocketed his smart phone. “Go ahead, Garcia,” he invited.

 

“This is gonna be a hard one,” she warned, shooting an empathetic look Reid’s way. Rossi noticed it but held his tongue as Garcia continued, “Sunday morning, 28 year old brunette Kendra Samuels,” she indicated the first photo, “is—was—the choir leader at St Andrew’s Church here in DC. When the pastor arrived for morning service preparations at 8 am, he found her vehicle in the parking lot but no sign of her, anywhere in the church. Kendra Samuels was seven months pregnant. Metro DC Police found her body Monday night, dumped behind a strip mall three blocks away. And, how can I put this? She wasn’t pregnant anymore.”

 

Reid gagged as he went through the crime scene photos and had stopped at one of them.

 

“Oh, My God,” Lewis said as she viewed the same photo to which Reid had just reacted. Rossi winced and Garcia fought back tears as she soldiered on.

 

“Tuesday afternoon, 31 year old blonde Rachel Stone,” Garcia indicated the second photo on the smart-board, “disappeared after her six month checkup at her doctor’s office. Her car, with the driver’s door still open, was noticed an hour after appointment time. She hasn’t been found yet. One way or the other.” She blinked several times in succession to keep her composure.

 

“Police have no witnesses to either abduction; they’ve pulled surveillance footage from both sites. The church doesn’t have any cameras. The pastor is reluctant to spy on his parishioners but there is a convenience store down the block from the church and Metro PD has gone to gather any they may have.”

 

Reid swallowed and turned over the photo of Kendra’s body. “Do they know,” he paused to chew his bottom lip and drive away a terrible thought, “How did she die? And what happened to—what happened to the,” he couldn’t say it aloud.

 

“Doesn’t say,” Garcia looked at her notes. “The autopsy is happening this morning.”

 

Hotch spoke up, “We should talk to the Medical Examiner. Dave, will you take care of that later?” Hotchner had no intention of sending Reid, it was plainly obvious that the youngest member was deeply disturbed by this case and Hotchner was compassionate enough to see that. “Reid, go to the police department, talk to Will—he called us into the case—go through their evidence. Lewis, talk to the families. Is there any kind of connection between the two victims, Garcia? Besides that they’re both pregnant.”

 

She shook her head, “None initially, Sir. But I will dig deep and see if I can find anything. Also going to go through the surveillance footage.”

 

He nodded at her and she put down the smart board remote and moved around the table towards the door, which suddenly burst open.

 

Agent Jennifer Jareau hurried in and motioned to Hotchner, who stepped away from the others to listen to her.

 

“There’s been another abduction, Hotch,” she whispered. 

 

His face tightened; he’d wondered very briefly why Jareau had taken him aside to tell him this and almost instantly understood why.

 

Deliberately facing away from the other team members, he mouthed ‘Melissa?’ and JJ nodded affirmatively.

 

“Damn it!” he swore.

 

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	2. Chapter 2

“Her purse and iPhone are intact,” one officer reported as he picked up the items and secured them in evidence bags, leaving markers on the ground to indicate their positions.

 

“The kid didn’t touch anything?” the officer’s partner asked.

 

“No, she ran back into the store,” the first replied. The Forensics team concluded taking their crime scene photos as the tow truck arrived with the enclosed trailer used to transport the Reids’ Escape back to the Ident garage to undergo further Forensic testing. Microscopic particle evidence was gathered at the scene and sent to the lab, along with Melissa’s purse. The first officer on scene walked back into the store with Melissa’s iPhone, still in the evidence bag.

 

Back inside the _Whole Foods_ , a female officer was now trying to take charge of Anna, who would have none of it.

 

“I want my DADDY!” she cried, between tears. Kathleen’s supervisor relieved her from her cash register and she hurried over to where the officer stood next to Anna.

 

Immediately, she knelt back down to Anna’s level and extended her arms. Anna fell into them and Kathleen wiped her eyes and calmed her, 

 

“We’re trying to call your daddy right now, Sweetie.”

 

The officer with Melissa’s phone approached Kathleen and Anna. Without actually touching the phone, he slipped it out of the evidence bag and held down the home button on the front long enough for _Siri_ to flicker on.

 

Speaking directly into the microphone, the officer asked who owned the phone and _Siri_ replied by calling up a screen:

 

_“I.C.E. Spencer Reid 702-555-0103”_

 

“Is your daddy Spencer Reid?”  He asked Anna.

 

“Is that Mommy’s phone? Anna asked, knowing full well by the wallpaper photo of their family that it was.

 

“Yes it is, Honey,” Kathleen told her after exchanging a glance with the cop.

 

Anna nodded and bit her lip as she tried to stifle her sobbing.

 

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JJ moved to stand beside Spencer as everyone looked at her expectantly. She looked to Hotchner who gave her a slight nod.

 

“There’s been another abduction,” she announced in the strangest tone of voice Reid had ever heard from her. Taking his arm, her voice softened,

 

“You need to come with me, Spence,” JJ said as Reid’s phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and was relieved to see the caller ID indicated it was Melissa calling.

 

JJ saw it and took his phone from him, handing it over to Hotchner while she steeled herself and drew Reid into a pre-emptive hug.

 

“Spence,” JJ began.

 

Hotch spoke to someone on Melissa’s phone and from the conversation, Reid knew the caller wasn’t Melissa. All the pieces came crashing together in his mind and he fought not to lose it. “Come on,” JJ directed Reid, steering him towards the door then turning as Hotch put up a hand as though to halt their exit.

 

“W _hole Foods_ grocery, JJ. Anna’s there,” Hotch told them as a strangled cry emanated from Reid’s throat.

 

“Oh my God, I’ll take him,” JJ declared.

 

Hotch nodded, “Stay with him, call me later,” he directed.

 

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David Rossi strode into Hotch’s office, “Talked to the M-E, Hotch,” he reported, “It’s not good. Kendra Samuels bled out from deep cuts to the abdomen. It appeared to be a non surgically precise C-section.”

 

Hotch grimaced. “Someone wanted her baby?”

 

Rossi nodded, agreeing with this theory, “She suffered blunt force trauma to the head, then a couple of deep incisions to remove the fetus,” Rossi was disgusted as he continued, “Which hasn’t been located. And the victim bled to death, but at another location. The body was dumped.”

 

Garcia called Hotch with some new information, “Sir, there are only three vehicles showing on the convenience store footage that go southbound towards the church. One is a couple of teenagers in a beater; and one is the church pastor in his Cadillac. But the first of the three is a dark blue SUV. I can’t get the license plate, but I’m working on enhancing what I do have. Hope I can get a look at the driver.”

 

Tara Lewis returned to Hotchner’s office, closing her cellphone and reading a file as she entered. She waited a few seconds as Garcia finished talking, then spoke up, “Hotch? That”, she indicated her phone, “Was Metro PD They’ve just found another body. Female. And she had the same incisions as Kendra Samuels. Except for one other detail.”

Hotch looked her in the eye, waiting for her to elaborate.

 

“Dead fetus was found next to the mother’s body. Umbilical cord still attached.”

 

“I’m going to the dump site,” Rossi told them. Looking to Lewis, he added, “Text me the address.”

 

Lewis nodded acknowledgment to Rossi, then sighed and turned to Hotchner, “God, this is just awful. How’s Reid doing?”

 

“He’s with JJ. They went to get Anna, and JJ was going to take them home after. He can’t be part of this investigation.”

 

Lewis nodded. “JJ?”

 

“Is Reid’s best friend. He needs her right now. Even more than we do.” He paused for a moment then asked, “Dave’s back from the M-E, have you seen his report?”

 

Lewis waved the file in her hand and nodded, “Yeah, it’s here. I spoke to Kendra Samuels’ mother and Rachel Stone’s husband. They don’t know each other Hotch. They don’t work, shop, worship at the same places, they have different doctors. There’s no apparent connection between the victims other than the fact that they’re pregnant.”

 

She paced and her face betrayed a deeper more personal concern. “And Melissa makes three. Hotch, we’ve got to find her before he kills her too!”

 

“You think it’s a man, Lewis?”

 

“I do, Hotch. A woman just wouldn’t visit this kind of pain and violence on another woman.”

 

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Reid held Anna close as the little girl cried and he waged an internal battle to keep his own composure.

 

“I’ll take them home,” JJ told Will who had arrived to lead Metro PD’s investigation.

 

He nodded and promised all three of them that they would find Melissa safe.

 

Reid climbed into the back seat of the SUV, intending to hold onto Anna rather than taking the front seat. Anna balked at getting into the vehicle at all and Reid moved, sitting on the seat but facing outside the car. He picked her up into his lap and she starting to shake and cry.

 

“Anna, it’s okay, JJ’s gonna take us home,” he said in as soothing a voice he could muster.

 

The shaking escalated and she squirmed and climbed out of his lap, jumping down out of the SUV.

 

“Will, did the police interview Anna at all? I know she’s only four, but she is a witness,” JJ asked.

 

He shook his head, “She wouldn’t talk to anyone but the cashier because she knows the cashier. Looks like Spencer and Melissa did a good job teaching her about strangers.”

 

“I’ll get her to talk to me. Or maybe Spence. I’ll get back to you.”

 

“Thanks JJ,” Well left to continue his investigation. JJ turned to Reid and Anna in time to hear her say,

 

“The Bad Lady had a car just like this one, Daddy.”

 

“What?” Reid picked her up again and snuggled her closer. “The person who took Mommy was a woman?” He asked her to verify what she’d just said.

 

Anna nodded and whispered “I want Mommy back.”

 

Reid stroked her hair and whispered back, “So do I, Sweet Pea, so do I.”

 

Despite his own fears, it was paramount to him to keep calm in front of Anna. He secured her in her booster seat, sat in the seat next to her and fastened his own belt. As JJ drove away he took Anna’s hand and asked her

 

“Anna, can you remember anything else about the lady? Like maybe how old she was? Did she have dark hair or light? Did she speak English, if she said anything?”

 

Anna thought for a moment then looked up into Spencer’s eyes and said, “She had dark hair like Mommy. I didn’t hear her say anything but Mommy said a bad word. Mommy said ‘what the h-word.’”

 

Despite the gravity of the moment, Spencer smiled, inwardly thinking _‘Thatta girl, Melissa. Fight.’_ Aloud, he said, “Was Mommy not in our car?”

“No, she was bringing groceries Daddy. I was getting in my booster.”

 

“So Mommy was behind the Escape?”

 

Anna nodded. Spencer considered for a moment then asked, “What was the bad lady wearing? What else do you remember?”

 

She thought hard for a minute. “I don’t remember the clothes except dark, Daddy. I heard Mommy cry out. Like ‘ow’. And I hurried to get out of the Scape but the bad lady drove away too fast.”

 

“Okay, Anna. That is all very helpful.” He hugged her as best he could with them both in seat restraints.

 

JJ pulled into the driveway of the Reid home and they all entered the house. Muttli was barking and JJ went to tend to him as Spencer and Anna went upstairs.

 

When JJ returned from the back room, Spencer was in the kitchen filling several glasses with water.

 

“Anna?” JJ asked.

 

“Bathroom,” Spencer answered her. With Anna safely in the bathroom for at least a few minutes, Reid let down his defenses and succumbed to the emotions and tears that he’d been holding back for the past hour.

 

JJ stood next to him, rubbing his back and murmuring repeatedly that they had enough information for a profile now and that Melisa would surely be found safe soon. He nodded and whispered,

 

“I know she will. She’s the strongest woman I’ve ever known.”

 

She patted his shoulder. “I’m gonna call Hotch and Will and relay what Anna just told us,” opening up her cell phone to make the call.

 

“I’ll get Ident to release the Reids’ vehicle then. They won’t find anything in it to help find this bitch if Melissa was grabbed from outside it,” Will told them.

 

Hotchner thanked her for the information and told her he’d keep her in the loop as things unfolded. She ended the call as Anna came into the kitchen clutching Bear and looking for a drink.

 

Spencer quickly ensured he looked calm, wiped surreptitiously at his eyes and then handed Anna the water glass.

 

“M 3634,” Anna recited in a singsong voice.

 

“M 3634? What’s that, Anna?” Spencer asked her.

 

“The numbers on the back of the Bad Lady’s car.”

 

“Oh my God!” JJ reacted, immediately calling Hotch back, she stepped into the hallway away from Anna, “I think we may have a partial plate, Hotch!” 

 

“I want my Mommy,” Anna started to cry.

 

Spencer gathered her and Bear up in his arms and went into the living room where they sat in Melissa’s favourite chair together. Again, he found himself fighting to stay calm as he stroked Anna’s hair while she sobbed.

 

“I know you do, Anna, so do I.”

 

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	3. Chapter 3

She pulled her car into the garage and clicked the garage door remote control to close the door behind the SUV as she parked it. She looked over her shoulder at her passenger, still unconscious in the back seat. After getting out of the vehicle, she opened the door into the house and put the doorstop in place to prop it open. Returning to her Chevy Suburban, she hauled Melissa out of it, dragging her into the house and down the hallway to a rear bedroom. 

 

It took her several tries, but eventually she managed to get Melissa into the bed, pushed up against one wall of the room. She returned for a moment to the garage to retrieve a few items and quickly made her way back to where she’d dumped Melissa. She tied one of Melissa’s feet to the post at the foot of the bed. Satisfied Melissa was secured, she went out to the kitchen, coming back with a tray. A glass of water and plate with crackers and cheese sat on the tray, which she set on the small table under the window. 

 

Melissa didn’t stir. Her captor checked to make sure she was breathing, then told the unconscious woman she’d be back later.

 

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Garcia could not get a good view of the SUV driver from the convenience store footage. As it turned out, the surveillance tapes from both cameras at the doctor’s office proved useless. One was trained on the employee parking, the other at the employee entrance and neither provided any footage that included the unsub’s SUV. 

 

She received files from the grocery store security officer who’d sent her the only tape that had showed Melissa’s car. Garcia watched as the sequence of events unfolded just as Anna had described them, ending with the SUV driving off and Anna hesitating, then rushing into the store.

 

Garcia restarted the video file to the point where the SUV was driving off and concentrated on enhancing the image.

 

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Rossi, Hotch and Lewis assembled before Will and other members of DC’s police department.

 

“The women appear to be random targets of opportunity,” Rossi was telling them, “The first two victims both bled to death following amateur attempts at C-Sections. Our unsub appears to be a woman desperate for a baby. We think it’s likely she recently lost her own baby, gave birth to a stillborn or miscarried. Or perhaps someone close to her has.”

 

Hotchner picked up the conversation, “She’s somewhat organised. Although her targets appear to be random, she’s prepared. She has a weapon. We think from the bludgeon marks on the victims, that she has a tire iron or metal bar. She blitz attacks with this weapon to gain control, knock her victim unconscious and then abducts her to another location in her dark blue SUV. We have a partial plate for this vehicle. That is M 3634 though there’s a letter or digit missing there. Our technical analyst is currently trying to narrow it down.”

 

Rossi continued, “She may have a partner, a male who’s performing this butchery. He’s sloppy and impatient. He may have some knowledge of anatomy, so look for men with some limited abilities in related fields, like someone’s who has flunked out of medical training. Hunters. Butchers. The victims were both found dumped. The first one behind a downtown strip mall; the second one a few blocks away in a coffee shop dumpster. The first victim’s baby has not been located. The second victim’s baby was removed from the mother’s uterus dead, but with the umbilical cord still attached.”

 

“We’re going through medical records now,” Lewis added, “to find anyone who’s recently lost a baby, miscarried, or gave birth to a stillborn. Our witness says the suspect has dark hair, but that may be a disguise. Her three victims so far have all had long hair, two brunettes and one blonde so the baby’s colouring may not matter to our unsub. The dark haired woman she most recently kidnapped is expecting twins.”

 

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Melissa woke up to find one foot tied to the post on footboard of a bed. She pulled herself up into a sitting position and almost immediately laid back as a wave of nausea swept over her. Recollection of being walloped flooded through her, and her hands went protectively to her belly, relieved when she felt movement within. _Oh my God, Anna!_ she thought, worrying about her daughter and hoping the child was safe. Another wave of nausea overtook her and she took a few deep breaths and let a few minutes go by to let the feeling pass. While she waited, she took in her surroundings. The room was about twelve feet by twelve feet with the door on one side and a small window on the opposite wall. The bed Melissa was in was pushed up against another wall, and a dresser was across from it. A small desk sat under the window. She was disappointed, though not surprised, that there was no phone on the desk. And again, her thoughts centered on Anna and she worried about her welfare. The nausea finally passed and Melissa was parched and desperately wanted water. 

 

She pulled herself up into a sitting position again and was relieved to not feel nauseous this time. Turning her attention to her foot, she battled the knot in the binding but found it impossible to undo. She gave up after a few minutes and looked around again. This time, she realised there was a tray on the table, and on that tray stood a glass of water and a plate with what looked like Saltines on it. She moved to the edge of the bed and reached for it but fell short by just a foot or so. Thinking for a moment, an idea occurred to her and she took the pillow from the bed and tossed it at the tray, knocking it off the table. The glass of water spilled and she lamented the loss of a drink for just a moment before happily watching as the glass rolled along the bare floor towards her. She bent down awkwardly and picked the glass up, smashing it against the bedpost then using a sharp piece of broken glass to cut the rope binding her foot.

 

Standing up, she shook the feeling back into her feet and legs and carefully approached the window. She looked outside and saw the familiar sight of the Capitol building off in the distance. Relieved and muttering to herself, ‘Good, at least I know I’m still in DC,’ she eased the window open to survey the area.

 

She looked out into the backyard of the house and hoped she’d be able to make the five-foot drop from the window without hurting herself or her twins. There was no fence between this yard and the yard of the next-door neighbour to the left. An eight-foot high wood fence separated this yard from the one to the right and Melissa knew there was no way she could climb it. At the back of the yard was a wire fence, also at least eight feet high, that separated the yard from city property. 

 

“Left it is,” she thought as she pulled herself carefully through the window, said a small prayer and dropped down into an unkempt garden. As she rose to her feet and checked for injury—there were none she was relieved to discover—her attention was drawn to a deep rumbling sound.

 

Turning around, she found herself face to face with an enormous black dog.

 

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“Sir Hotch!” Garcia spoke when Hotchner answered his phone.

 

“What do you have, Garcia?”

 

“A half dozen vehicles that fit the description and also have the plate digits we got. But only two of those are registered to someone who recently lost a baby, Sir.”

 

“Hold on Garcia, I’m adding Rossi and Lewis to the call. And give me a sec,” he paused as he put Garcia on hold and called JJ.

 

“Can you talk, JJ? Is Reid there?”

 

“He’s upstairs with Anna right now. What is it Hotch?”

 

“Garcia has two possibles for us. I’m bringing you into the call, hold on,” he dialed her in then added Will as well before conferencing Garcia, Lewis and Rossi back into it. Then he gave Garcia the signal, “All right, you have us all now, Garcia, go ahead.”

 

“Okay. Two possibles. Number one is 33-year-old Irene Dublin. A single woman who lost a baby four months ago. And the second one is 27-year-old Alicia Penwarden whose baby died at birth just two weeks ago. Her husband is William Penwarden. I’m sending you both addresses.”

 

“Thanks Garcia. Okay, Lewis, go with Will to the Dublin address, Rossi take Metro PD backup with you to the Penwarden address,” He clicked disconnect on all but JJ and finished, “JJ, let Reid know we’re on our way to the possible suspect. We’ll call you as soon as we have Melissa.”

 

“Okay, thanks Hotch,” JJ clicked off her phone and turned around to find Spencer entering the kitchen.

 

“What did Hotch want?” he asked her. She reached out and touched his hand, 

 

“They’re on a lead, Spence. They’ll call back soon. How’s Anna?”

 

“Finally got her to fall asleep,” he said as he sank down into a chair. “I fell so useless. I can’t help. I know I’m not supposed to be involved but I want to be. And I can’t think straight anyway. Every time I try to reason something through, all I can hear in my mind is babies crying and Melissa screaming.”

 

She leaned over and hugged him, and then took the chair next to him. They sat silently together for a while, and Reid broke the silence with an observation.

 

“You know, she’s a Mama Bear. She’s not gonna let anything happen to our son and daughter without a fight.”

 

“They say to never come between a mother bear and her cubs, that she’ll defend them to the end,” JJ said quietly.

 

Reid was silent for a moment, then told her, “Actually, that’s not true. Mother bears, most bears really, do what they can to avoid contact with humans. You can usually scare off a black bear just by making noise and throwing things in their direction if you come across them. In North America, there have only been six human deaths caused by mother bears with cubs since 2000.” He paused, then smiled at JJ, “But they are pretty protective mothers,” he conceded.

 

“Melissa will get out of this.”

 

“I know she will, JJ.”

 

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	4. Chapter 4

 

“Nice doggy,” Melissa whispered. Slowly, she crouched down to the dog’s level, and extended her hand to the dog. “Nice doggy.”

 

The growling stopped. The dog took one cautious step forward and sniffed at Melissa’s hand. Her heart was in her throat and she was holding her breath, she remembered not to look the dog in the eye as she waited. Another sniff, and then the dog licked at her hand and wagged her—Melissa noted it was a female—tail.

 

Releasing her breath, Melissa praised her, “Good girl, good girl,’ and rose slowly to her full height, “Where’s home, Girl?” she asked, just as a woman’s voice shouted,

 

“Amy! Amy! Come HERE! Where are you?”

 

Apparently the Black Labrador was named Amy and she turned and made her way over to the house on the left. Melissa followed and watched Amy launch herself at her person, a middle aged woman with a cheery laugh.

 

“Excuse me, ma’am?” Melissa asked. The woman looked up and tensed for a moment until she realised Melissa was pregnant and looking a little worse for wear. “Can you help me please? Call the police?” 

 

“Oh dear, oh my goodness! What happened?!” She stepped back up onto her porch, opened the door and stepped into the house; Amy followed her inside immediately and she turned and motioned for Melissa to follow her, extending her arm to help Melissa up the stairs. She noticed the piece of rope tied around Melissa’s ankle, and the rips and dirt in Melissa’s clothes.

 

“I’m Wendy Kennedy, Miss,” she introduced herself to Melissa then addressed the dog. “Here you go, Amy,” handing her a biscuit and telling her, “You should be getting back to your puppies.” Hurriedly opening a door, she ushered the dog into another room where Melissa noted several blankets and towels on the floor and a pile of about eight sleeping Black Lab puppies. Wendy Kennedy spoke to Melissa as she settled the dog, “What happened to you, dear?

 

“I was kidnapped, Mrs. Kennedy.” Melissa began, “My name is Melissa Reid. I was bashed on the head and forced into a car in the parking lot of the _Whole Foods_ store and—oh my God! My daughter was there! It was hours ago!” She began to fret and Wendy Kennedy helped her to a seat.

 

“You just sit right here, dear. Everything will be all right. I’m just going to get you a glass of water and the phone. I’ll be right back, Honey.” She hurried over to the sink to get the water and then hurried over to Melissa. 

 

Melissa sat in a chair in the Kennedys’ cheery kitchen and accepted the glass of water Wendy handed her. “I’m just going to call 9-1-1 and then we’ll call your daughter, okay, Melissa?” she began. “The phone is just over there,” Wendy indicated the device sitting in its cradle on a small table in the hallway just outside the kitchen and hurried to get it. Melissa sipped the water and tried to calm herself. As Wendy returned with the phone, she had already punched 9-1-1 into the keypad and handed Melissa the phone.

 

Wendy ran some water over a towel and sat down in a chair beside Melissa who was speaking to a 9-1-1 operator.

 

“The address?” Melissa asked. “Um,” she looked to Wendy who took the phone from her and answered the operator’s questions. She held the phone to her ear with one hand, while the other was wiping at Melissa’s face and hands with the towel. 

 

“She appears to be all right. Shook up but mostly uninjured. But she’s pregnant and really should go to the hospital.” 

 

There was a pause as Wendy listened to instructions then thanked them and disconnected the call.

 

“The ambulance is on the way, dear. So are the police. Now, let’s call your family,” Wendy handed Melissa the phone and took the water glass to refill it. Melissa wiped at her face with the cloth while she waited for her call to be answered. 

 

“Hello?” a woman’s voice answered the phone at the Reid house.

 

Melissa’s voice registered surpise, “JJ?”

 

“Melissa!” JJ fairly screeched. “Are you all right? Oh my God, where are you?” She covered the phone for a moment and yelled up the stairs, “Spence! Come here!”

 

“The ambulance is coming for me, JJ. I guess I’ll be going to George Washington. I’m okay, but my God, how is Anna? Poor thing saw everything!”

 

“She’s okay, Melissa. She’s finally sleeping now. She was freaking out as you can well imagine, but Spence. Oh God, Spence, he was so stalwart, Melissa. He took such good care of her. She finally fell asleep for him.”

 

Hearing his footfalls on the stairs, JJ smiled as Melissa asked, “How’s Spence? Is he all right?”

 

“Ask him yourself,” JJ told her as she handed him the phone when he entered the kitchen.

 

“Spence!” Melissa cried as he took the phone.

 

“Melissa! Oh my God, Melissa, you’re all right? You’re safe? Where are you?”

 

She breathed deeply and tried not to cry as relief threatened to overwhelm her. Wendy patted her arm as Melissa spoke.

 

“I’m okay, Spence. She bashed me on the head, gave me quite a lump I think. But she took me to a house. I was tied to a bed. I haven’t seen her all day, though. It’s only been the one day, right?” She was suddenly unsure how much time had passed.

 

“Only one, yes, thank goodness. Longest freakin’ day of my life, though,” he sighed. “You’re okay? You’re sure?”

 

“I’m okay. She left me alone. It was so weird, Spence. I just opened the window and escaped to the neighbour’s house. That’s where I am now, the ambulance is on the way.”

 

“I’ll meet you at the hospital. You’re okay, Melissa? You’re sure?”

 

“I will be as soon as I’m in your arms again, Love. Oh,” she was quiet for a moment and Spencer could hear sirens over the phone. “The ambulance is here. And the police. I guess I’ll see you at G-W-H in a while.”

 

He handed the phone to JJ.

 

“I gotta go—“

 

“Of course you do,” JJ agreed, propelling him towards the front door.

 

“Can you--?” he started.

 

“Stay here with Anna? Of course! We’ll be at my house in the morning, okay? I’ll take Muttli with us, and I’ll let Anna know her Mommy is safe and we’ll be by to see her as soon as we can.”

 

He reached out and took her hand, “Thank you.” 

 

She pressed the BAU SUV’s keys into his hand and nodded, “Go!”

 

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“Clear!” Rossi called out as they searched through the Penwarden house, finding no one home.

 

The Metro PD officers found the open window and Melissa’s escape route and returned to let Rossi know.

 

He was in the kitchen, opening the fridge and the cupboards. “Somebody does actually live here,” he said, noting dishes in the sink and food in the refrigerator. As he and his backup walked towards the back of the house, they found laundry on the floor in one bedroom. He inspected the door of the room in which Melissa had been held captive. The MPD officer had kicked down the door and Rossi saw the padlock was still in place on the broken door. They noted the broken glass on the floor, and a small length of rope still attached to the bedpost. Rossi made his way back to his vehicle, opened his phone and called Hotch to report, and asked him,

 

“Do we know where Alicia Penwarden or her husband work?”

 

“Mrs. Penwarden is actually an out patient at G-W-H, Dave. Out on day passes a few times a week. The dates all correspond to the abduction dates, too. Her husband is a meat cutter for a butcher shop downtown.”

 

Hotch gave Rossi the employer’s address and told him, “Lewis will meet you there with Will and the other officers.”

 

“This address sounds awfully familiar, Aaron,” Rossi thought out loud, then shifted his thoughts and asked, “How’s Reid?”

 

“I don’t know yet, Dave, but I’m sure ‘relieved’ is applicable. He knows Melissa is safe, he’s on the way to the hospital.”

 

“Good to hear,” Rossi said and turned his attention to driving to Penwarden’s place of employment, next door to one dumpsite and down the street from the second.

 

“Oh. Yeah, that’s why it sounded familiar,” he realised, pulling out his phone.

 

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	5. Chapter 5

Hotchner answered his phone to hear Will LaMontagne’s voice,

 

“Me and my guys went through the Penwarden basement, Agent Hotchner They found a hidden door, a secret room. And it was decked out with a steel table and drainage. Knives and stuff. Forensics is going through it now, they’ve already found evidence of blood and other human matter.”

 

Hotch sighed. “The murder site.”

 

“Yeah, and one more thing,” Will sighed heavily. “Found a garbage bag with a partially decayed not quite full term fetus in it. I have a feelin’ we found Kendra Samuels’ missing baby.”

 

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He pushed his way past the protesting nurses into the ER, following two ambulance attendants and their gurney.

 

“Melissa?” he called, not too loudly.

 

“Spence!” she called back, not caring how loud she was.

 

He broke into a run to catch up and nudged his way between a nurse and one of the attendants to take Melissa’s hand. Both started crying, he bent down to take her into his arms and they clung to each other in a fierce hug.

 

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” she promised, finally managing to speak but he wanted to see for himself.

 

“Sir, you’re going to have to wait,” the nurse grew firmer, indicating the waiting room, “Out there!” The sooner we can get her into an exam room, the sooner she’ll be able to go home.”

 

Reid knew this wasn’t entirely true. Once Melissa with done with medical examination, she’d face police questions too. He bent down to kiss her again, promised he’d be waiting and that he’d be back as soon as allowed, then he reluctantly made his way out to the waiting room where he bought a coffee from the vending machine and sat down to wait.

 

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“I’m looking for William Penwarden,” Rossi announced to the man behind the counter at _Alf’s Butcher Shop_. The man, dressed in white from head to toe in the familiar white uniform worn by chefs and kitchen staff looked puzzled for a moment so Rossi flashed his credentials and elaborated, “SSA David Rossi, FBI. Mr. Penwarden?”

 

“He’s in the back,” the man told him, pointing to his own breast pocket, “I’m Alf.” He yelled over his shoulder “Hey, Bill! C’mere please.”

 

Rossi and the two Metro PD backups drew their weapons just as Lewis arrived with Will and their backups.

 

“What the--?” Alf sputtered, his eyes growing wide.

 

Bill Penwarden came in from the backroom, still brandishing a large bloody cleaver.

 

“William Penwarden,” Rossi warned, “Put down the knife and put your hands up.”

 

“What the--?” he said in response, slow to comply. He brought down the hand holding the cleaver, but didn’t put it down.

 

“The knife, Penwarden. Put. It. Down.” Rossi repeated.

 

“I ain’t done nothing!” he protested, setting the knife on the countertop.

 

“You’re under arrest, Penwarden, for the murders of Kendra Samuels and Rachel Stone. And false imprisonment of Melissa Reid.” He muttered under his breath, “and anything else I can find to stick you with.”

 

Penwarden continued to protest, “No I didn’t kill nobody!”

 

Will spoke up, “You wanna tell us who did then? We found evidence of murder in your basement. The converted cold cellar? Remember that? We found a dead baby wrapped in a garbage bag.”

 

Rossi noted “Failure to properly dispose of body.”

 

Will continued, “Two bodies were found, one in the dumpster behind the coffee shop next door, the other behind the strip mall on the next block.”

 

Rossi continued, “Failure to properly dispose of body, times three.”

 

Penwarden shuffled uncomfortably as Will asked him, “Where’s your Chevy Suburban, Penwarden?”

 

The man’s shoulders slumped and he refused to say anything as Lewis cuffed him. One of Will’s men went out to the back of the building and quickly returned,

 

“There’s a Suburban out back with a tag that matches the description, Agent Rossi. I called in Forensics and the Ident truck.”

 

Rossi thanked him and turned to Penwarden, “Where’s your wife, Bill? Where’s Alicia?”

 

He sighed resignedly and replied “I took her back to the hospital this afternoon.”

 

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“All right, then, thank you Mrs. Reid. I think we have everything but,” the officer handed Melissa her business card and continued, “If there’s anything else, please call me. And,” she paused to take a breath and offer Melissa a sympathetic smile and pat on the arm, “I’m so glad you – all – are all right. I’ll send your husband in,” as she turned and left Melissa’s room.

 

Absently, she traced circles on the blanket wither her fingers, her thoughts on Anna and Spencer. Looking around her, she saw no phone and furrowed her brow in disappointment. The door opened and her face lit up happily as Spencer entered, bearing an enormous bouquet of white flowers.

 

He set the arrangement on the table then bent down to kiss her before pulling up a chair to sit next to her.

 

“Good news, good news, bad news,” he told her.

 

She looked at him expectantly, “And?”

 

“Good news. Alicia and William Penwarden have been apprehended.”

 

“The kidnapper?”

 

“Yes. Um, she’s the kidnapper. And we think he’s the killer,” he told her gently.

 

“Killer!?” Melissa gasped.

 

“Oh damn it,” Spencer swore. “I assumed you knew, Melissa. He’s killed two women and,” he stopped, deciding she really didn’t need to know more.

 

“And?”

 

He shook his head nonchalantly, “Never mind. He killed them. You’re safe, that’s all that matters. Good news, part two,” he rushed, hoping to leave the first thought behind, “Anna knows you’re okay. She just woke up a little while ago; JJ’s bringing her by in a bit so she can see for herself. I’m not taking her to school today. Probably not tomorrow either. Let the two of you be together.”

 

Melissa nodded her agreement with his decision and prodded, “And the bad news?”

 

“Doctor is making you stay here.”

 

Melissa swore, sat up straighter and started to protest. Spencer pushed her back down onto her back. “I _knew_ you were going to do that,” he scolded. “Seriously, Melissa. Your blood pressure is way up. You’re obviously stressed, which is counter indicative to—“

 

“Shut up, Spencer. I know I’m stressed. I’ll be fine if I just Get. OUT. OF. HERE!”

 

He kissed her forehead and tried to comfort her.

 

“Don’t! I want out of here. Seriously, this just stresses me more!” She lost it and started to cry and her nurse came in and promptly gave Spencer hell for upsetting her. Shooing him out of the room, the nurse tried calming Melissa down.

 

“NO! It’s _not_ _him_! It’s this place! I want to go _home_!”

 

“I’ll get your doctor, dear,” the nurse surrendered and hurried out the door to do so.

 

Spencer peeked in from behind the door, “Is it safe to come back?” he asked, completely serious.

 

She glared at him for a moment then laughed. 

 

“Miserable patronising bitch!” She spit out between gasps of laughter, indicating the nurse. Composing herself, she addressed Spencer, “Get your cute little ass back in here!”

 

He backed into the room carefully, butt first, and gave it a jiggle or two for good measure and Melissa dissolved into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. It took her several minutes to regain her composure and when she did, she reached for him, running her hands up and down his backside.

 

“I wish we were somewhere right now where I could just rip your pants right off your—“ she declared.

 

His sudden sharp intake of breath should have warned her but she continued, “I want your ass so—“

 

“Mrs. Reid?” her own family doctor appeared before her as though by magic.

 

Spencer froze, his wife’s hand still affixed to his posterior, as they both looked up at the doctor, like deer caught in the headlights.

 

“Perhaps now is not a good time?” the doctor said, deadpan.

 

Melissa recovered first. Spencer was mortified and stood stock-still.

 


	6. Chapter 6

“I want to go home!” she told the physician in no uncertain terms.

 

“I see,” he said, “But here’s the issue, Melissa. You have hypertension, and it’s dangerously high. There are obvious signs of edema, and you show all the symptoms of pre-eclampsia. This condition used to be called toxemia but that tended to make people think it was just the swelling. Anyway,” He scribbled on the pad in his hand as he spoke, “I want you to take aspirin every day. You’re—“ he consulted the notes, “thirty weeks along in the pregnancy?”

 

Melissa corrected, “Almost twenty-nine, actually.” 

 

He made the correction on the chart and continued, “I’ve ordered blood and urine testing for protein levels. The best treatment for pre-eclampsia is to deliver the baby—babies—he corrected, but I’d rather you continued the pregnancy for at least a couple of weeks. I want to admit you to the hospital. I’m going to prescribe you bed rest and blood pressure medications. For a week or so, then I’d like to see you again. You need to rest and be stress free. I don’t want to risk your, or your babies’ health,”

 

Melissa interrupted him, “I want to go to my nice, stress free home with my daughter and my dog and most especially,” she paused to make and keep eye contact with the doctor while she deliberately reached for Spencer again and squeezed him, “my stress free husband. Please don’t make me stay here.”

 

Melissa and the doctor remained locked in eye contact for a long moment while Spencer fought the urge to laugh. He knew full well how this particular battle was going to play out and end and sure enough, in about thirty seconds, the Doctor broke the eye contact.

 

“Do you have a blood pressure monitor at home?”

 

“I’ll get one!” she barked.

 

“You’ll stay in bed?”

 

“I’ll see to that,” Spencer found his voice.

 

“I want to go _home_! Just being in here away from my daughter stresses me the hell out!”

 

Melissa’s doctor sighed and called the nurse into the room. “See to it that Mrs. Reid’s discharge is processed immediately,” he ordered, then turned to Melissa and Spencer, “We’ll need to monitor the fetuses too. There are home monitors you can get, but—“

 

“We’ll get one!” Melissa interrupted.

 

“I’d rather you didn’t actually, I’d prefer you come in to my office for the test every morning for the next week. Is that doable?”

 

Both Spencer and Melissa nodded affirmatively.

 

“Good. Hopefully, with rest, no stress, the aspirin and monitoring the BP we can keep you healthy and give those babies at least another couple of weeks to develop. I want weekly ultrasounds now, Melissa,” and he wrote out another note on his prescription pad. He handed those to Spencer, then told them both, “I’m just waiting for a couple of test results. I should have those within the hour, and then I’ll let you go home. As long as—“

 

“Rest. Aspirin. Monitoring the blood pressure. No stress. Got it,” Melissa interrupted.

 

“Okay,” the doctor. His eyes twinkled, as he spoke, “No stress. Rest.”

 

“Got it,” Melissa said.

 

“And I must caution you, as Dr. Reid has been here all night worrying over you, I want to suggest that when you get home you let him sleep first before you,” he paused to clear his throat and mimicked her, “’rip the pants right off his.’ But--”

 

Melissa broke out in laughter again, Spencer opened his mouth to say something but the doctor beat him to it, his demeanor changing from teasing to serious.

 

“Actually, Melissa. You are carrying twins, and at this stage of the pregnancy, given the pre-eclampsia and the possible complications from the condition, I’m advising you against any sexual intercourse until after the babies have been safely delivered and you’ve recovered from the birthing process. We’ll be discussing C-section versus vaginal delivery pending the results of the tests prior to the delivery date.”

 

She sobered immediately. She’d always had a comfortable relationship with her doctor; they’d discussed everything frankly and honestly dating back to her pregnancy with Anna. Delicate conversation did not embarrass her at all, but she looked over to see that Spencer was squirming at the current dialogue and she decided to shelve the topic of discussion until her next appointment—without him there—with the doctor.

 

The astute physician picked up on this, caught her attention and told her, “I’ll let you go home, just as soon as I get those test results, if they’re satisfactory.” He smiled at them and left the room.

 

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“And what did Forensics have?” Hotch asked as Rossi and Lewis sat down at the round table.

 

“That secret room was covered in fingerprints and other trace evidence, Hotch. Blood matching both Kendra Samuels and Rachel Stone. That fetus? The DNA matched the umbilical cord of Rachel Stone’s pregnancy.”

 

Lewis grimaced as Rossi spoke, then asked “What did Penwarden have to say, Hotch?”

 

He read aloud from the report in his hands, “Alicia Penwarden gave birth to a stillborn son a couple of weeks ago. She’s being treated for post partum depression that had led into psychosis. In and out of the hospital since then. She’s had psychotic episodes where she firmly believed her son was taken from her and in her irrational state was looking to reclaim him. She kidnapped her victims of opportunity, but her intention was apparently to wait for them to give birth and claim the baby as her own. Alicia Penwarden kept them comfortable in a bed and provided food and water. It was William Penwarden who wanted to expedite the process. He thought performing a C-section would give Alicia back her baby sooner. He converted the cold cellar in their basement into his operating room but he lacked the knowledge to successfully carry out the procedure. He panicked when Kendra Samuels died and disposed of the body, telling his wife he’d inadvertently let her get away.”

 

Rossi and Lewis exchanged a glance and Hotch continued reading, “Alicia Penwarden is in and out of hospital on day passes and managed to kidnap Rachel Stone the day after Kendra Samuels disappeared from their home. William tried and failed again to do a C-section but didn’t have the time to dispose of Rachel Stone as neatly. He had to return Alicia to the hospital and was due at work. He just wrapped the baby up in garbage bags and hid it in the cellar.”

 

“The baby was alive when he cut it out of the mother?” Lewis had to fight to not gag at the thought.

 

“I don’t believe so, Lewis. He said,” Hotch referred to the files then continued, “This says he returned Alicia to the hospital, went home to retrieve Rachel Stone’s body. By the time he managed to drag her into his SUV, he was running late for his shift, which is why her body was hastily dumped next door to the butcher shop. He was planning to deal with the baby’s body after work. But he ended up working late that night because they had a special order for the morning.”

 

Rossi shook his head, “So Alicia Penwarden had nothing to do with the actual murders?”

 

Hotchner shook his head, “Apparently not. She was unaware of what her husband had done. When he told her Rachel Stone had gotten away too, she just flew into a rage and went out to secure another mother-to-be.”

 

“Melissa,” Lewis said as the men nodded, “But in her state, she didn’t realise that there was a witness.”

  
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	7. Chapter 7

“Mommy!” Anna shouted as she barreled into the hospital room and threw herself at her mother.

 

“Sweet Pea!” They hugged for a long moment, while JJ sat back and waited her turn. Anna and Melissa took a considerable length of time to convince each other they were okay, and then Spencer lifted Anna off her mother’s bed and set her on her feet. She turned back to Melissa and said,

 

“Muttli missed you too!”

 

“I bet he did,” Melissa agreed. 

 

Anna pulled a folded sheet of paper out of her pocket and handed it to Melissa. “We made you a picture,” she announced, unfolding it before presenting it to her mother.

 

It was a simple piece of artwork. Two puppy paw prints and two little girl handprints on a piece of construction paper underneath which Anna had written: ‘We love you Mommy xoxoxo Anna and Muttli.’

 

“Aunt JJ helped with the spelling,” Anna told her.

 

Melissa broke into tears and cried, “I love it Honey, and it’s going on the fridge when we get home.”

 

“Are you coming home?” Anna brightened immediately.

 

“As soon as the doctor lets me.”

 

“I’m hungry,” Anna stated.

 

“Let’s go find something to eat,” Spencer suggested, taking her hand and leading her out of the room, leaving Melissa with JJ.

 

“Thank you so much for looking after her,” Melissa sniffled as she wiped away the last of her tears.

 

JJ nodded and shook her head, “Of course.”

 

“Man, I’m a textbook mess,” Melissa laughed. “Bawling one minute, laughing hysterically the next. Embarrassing the hell out of Spence right after then laughing again.”

 

“Pregnancy hormones,” JJ began, and then picking up on what Melissa had said, “Wait. What? Embarrassing Spence how?”

 

Melissa shook her head and waved her hand, “Oh no. Uh uh.”

 

JJ gave her a look and Melissa acquiesced. “Okay. Okay. I made a sexual comment.”

 

JJ smiled.

 

“In front of the doctor.”

 

The smile became laughter. “Oh that’s too funny.” 

 

They laughed together for a moment then Melissa sobered and spoke,

“Seriously, JJ. Thank you so much for being there for Spence and Anna.”

 

“And Muttli.”

 

“Muttli?”

 

“Oh yeah. I wasn’t gonna leave the poor little guy behind. He came with us; when I took Anna home for the night, we brought Muttli along too.”

 

“Awwwww.”

 

“And he slept with Henry. In Henry’s bed. Apparently we are going to get a dog now too.”

 

Melissa sat up straight in her bed, “Oh! Oh my God, JJ! I have just the dog for you!”

 

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A week later, Melissa and JJ planned to meet in the park with the kids and dogs.

 

Anna held Muttli’s leash until they arrived at the park. When he started to strain against it, Anna was afraid he’d pull free so she relinquished custody to Melissa. Henry spotted them and came running towards them, accompanied by a small Black Labrador puppy on an enormous leash.

 

JJ caught up with them a minute later, Michael’s pace was considerably slower than that of his older brother.

 

The two dogs met and sniffed each other and were instant best friends as the two older children played with them.

 

“Muttli, this is Wendy,” Henry introduced them as Muttli inadvertently bowled over the smaller dog. They darted around, sniffing and wagging as Henry and Anna laughed.

 

“Looks like Wendy has fit right in,” Melissa pointed out.

 

“Taken right over,” JJ corrected. “She’s fantastic, Melissa. Thanks for suggesting Wendy Kennedy’s puppies. Henry picked her because she was gentle and loving and reminded him so much of Muttli.”

 

The two women sat on a park bench while their charges played around them.

 

“Why Wendy?”

 

“Because Wendy Kennedy helped you. It actually comes from Fwendy-wendy, Melissa. The nickname of a childhood friend of J M Barrie’s, the man who wrote Peter Pan.” She paused to untangle the dogs’ leashes and continued, “And actually, Will suggested Wendy after we said no to about ten other names Henry suggested.”

 

Melissa smiled as Wendy bowled over Muttli, “Wendy learns fast!”

 

“She’s so good, Melissa. And Henry is completely into the training and feeding and walking.”

 

“Muttli’s made progress too. We don’t kennel him anymore. He’s sleeping with Anna at night, her decision. We still leave his kennel open and available for him, but now that he’s got the run of the house, I find him sleeping in her room when he’s gone off for a nap.”

 

“Awwwww,” JJ said, “Henry can’t wait for Wendy to be at that stage.”

 

They offered the children drinks of water, poured some for each of the dogs then sat back down on the bench. JJ turned the conversation to Melissa.

 

“How are you doing?”

 

“I’m good. About the kidnapping, I’m seeing a psychologist just to be sure. Spence asked me to, he wanted Anna seen by one too. We’re okay. We tend to cling a little closer now but we’re good. About the pre-eclampsia,” Melissa sighed. “My blood pressure’s still up, not as high as it was though.” She indicated her ankles and let out a chuckle, “Still swelling, as you can see. I’m going in for fetal monitoring every day now. So far, so good in that department too. He wants to delay delivery as long as possible, and indications are okay so far in that too.”

 

“Oh, right. You’re supposed to be on bed rest right?”

 

“I’m allowed to go for a short walk. Rest. No stress.” Melissa told her and then pouted, “No sex.”

 

JJ’s eyebrows rose, she made eye contact with Melissa but thought better of the questions that came to her mind. Their eyes locked and after a short silence, Melissa asked, 

 

“Aren’t you going to ask?”

 

JJ’s expression clearly read ‘not going to touch that’ and instead, she asked, “How’s Anna doing?”

 

“She’s a trooper, JJ. Considering what she saw, she’s amazingly resilient. We had a little talk with her about it the other night. She was already a little anxious about Spence’s work because of what happened in Cedar Rapids.” She paused and shook her head. “Imagine if she knew about the anthrax thing and about Tobias Henkel and,” she stopped and refocused. “Anyway, we told her how important it is that Daddy helps catch bad guys. Really, really bad guys. But that he’s very careful. We told her the same thing Spence once told me, ‘every law enforcement officer goes to work with the intention of safely going home at end of shift.’”

 

JJ nodded. “Will and I had the same talk with Henry. I know exactly what you mean,” she said sympathetically.

 

“And what happened to me was absolutely a coincidence, an accident of circumstance that had nothing to do with daddy’s work.”

 

“That must have been difficult.”

 

“I’m not sure she totally believes it yet either. But we explained to her that the lady that took me was very sick. She didn’t mean to hurt me. Her own baby died and she was acting out.”

 

“Anna got that?”

 

Melissa nodded then admitted, “What I didn’t know until later was that the kidnapped women were being killed for their babies. Spence didn’t tell me that. He didn’t want me to know but I think it was more to help my blood pressure issue rather than to protect me from the information. Cause he knows better.”

 

JJ nodded her complete agreement with that surmisal.

 

“Anyway, I found that out from the DCPD when they called me back a couple days ago to see how I was doing,” Melissa told her. “I thought Spence would be mad and he thought I would be for not telling me.”

 

“It’s all good now?”

 

“Well, I wouldn’t say that, but we’re clear on where we stand with things, I understand why he didn’t tell me or want me to know. And he understands why I don’t want to be coddled. And we stand together about keeping the awful details from Anna.”

 

JJ reached over and patted her arm.

 

“So, the doctor backpedalled on the bed rest?”

 

“Nope. Not really, I’m just not supposed to exert myself. Nothing strenuous.” She smirked, “So I said ‘no strenuous sex?’”

 

JJ gasped and then they both laughed. 

 

“I thought that would shut him up. I’m not an idiot. I know I need to be careful. Lots of rest and be stress-free. But the doctor is the one stressing me out!” She sighed. “No sex now ‘til after the babies are born.”

 

“He’s lucky you didn’t deck him,” JJ supplied.

 

“Tempting, but too stress inducing,” Melissa conceded. “Al I want is to love the stuffing out of my husband. Is that so wrong?”

 

“Stress inducing?”

 

“Oh, hell no. It would be stress relieving. For me, anyway. For Spence maybe not so much,” she laughed.

 

JJ couldn’t contain her own snickers any longer and the two of them looked like a pair of giggling school girls on the park bench as two dogs and three children played around them.

 

CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM

 


	8. Chapter 8

 

Rossi, Lewis, JJ and Hotch sat at the conference table as Garcia came into the meeting holding a few files that she immediately handed over to Hotchner.

 

“Will called this morning. William Penwarden confessed to both murders, although he hadn’t planned to actually kill the women. Alicia has been moved to a secure facility. Day passes are suspended while she undergoes treatment for,” Garcia paused to read a quote directly, “’The worst case of post partum psychosis I’ve ever seen,’ according to the psychiatrist treating her.”

 

Lewis looked from Hotch to JJ and asked, “How’s Reid doing?”

 

Hotch sighed and spoke, “Dr. Reid has several weeks vacation owing. Mrs. Reid is into the final trimester of a high-risk pregnancy. Her doctor wants her hospitalised. Neither she nor Reid wanted that. She’s mostly on bed rest, but still at home. I’ve told Reid he can take all the time he needs—or that Melissa needs—and stay home with her and their four-year-old.”

 

Rossi piped up, “I have another 22 freaking vacation days I don’t want. Garcia?”

 

“Consider them transferred to Reid, sir.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“I have ten you can give to the good doctor,” Lewis offered.

 

Hotch eyed Garcia, who asked, “I’m not an S-S-A but I could give him fifteen of my days.”

 

Hotchner nodded, adding, “Fifteen of mine too.”

 

JJ checked her phone. “I’ve taken six of mine, but Spence can have the other nine.”

 

Hotch did the math then told them, “Guess I’ll call Reid and let him know that between time owing, time accrued, paternity allowance and now, time donated, I won’t expect him back to work until after his son and daughter have arrived.”

 

Everyone cheered at that, and Hotch continued, “We could continue to consult with him via phone or computer,” he paused as everyone laughed at the latter’s remote possibility, “as necessary. I do want to thank everyone for their good work on this case, I know how hard it was, but this team once again, impresses me with their loyalty and love for one another.”

 

“That’s what family is for,” Garcia said, voice full of emotion.

 

-fin-

 


End file.
